Sunan Ibn Majah: Chapter 6

“The Muslim has six courtesies due from the Muslim: He should
greet
him with Salam when he meets him; he should accept his
invitation if
he invites him; he should answer [by Yarhamuk-Allah (may
Allah have
mercy on you)] to him if he sneezes (and says Al-
Hamdulillah); he
should visit him if he falls sick; he should follow
his funeral if he
dies; and he should love for him what he loves for
himself.”

“The
Muslim
has four things due from the Muslim: He should answer [by
saying
Yarhamuk-Allah (may Allah have mercy on you)] to him if he
sneezes
(and says Al-Hamdulillah); he should accept his invitation if
he
invites him; he should attend his funeral if he dies; and he should
visit him if he falls sick.”

“Five are the rights of the Muslim: Returning his greeting,
accepting his invitation; attending his funeral; visiting the sich;
and answering (saying Yarhamuk-Allah) to the one who sneezes, if he
praises Allah (says Al-Hamdu Lillah).”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH) came walking
to
visit me (when I was sick), as did Abu Bakr, when I was with Banu
Salimah.

“The Prophet (PbUH) did not
visit
any sick person until after three days.”

“When you enter upon one who is sick, cheer him up and
give him hope of a long life, for that does not change anything (of
the Divine Decree), but it will cheer the heart of the one who is
sick.”

“What do you long for?” He said: “I long for wheat
bread.”
The Prophet (PbUH) said: “Whoever has any wheat bread, let
him send it
to his brother.” Then the Prophet 9saw) said: “If any
sick person
among you longs for something, then feed him.”

“The Prophet (PbUH) entered
upon
a sick person to visit him. He said: ‘Do you long for anything?
Do
you long for Ka’k (a type of bread)?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ So they
sent
someone to bring some Ka’k for him.”

“The Prophet (PbUH)
said
to me: ‘When you enter upon one who is sick, tell him to pray for
you, for his supplication is like the supplication of the angels.’”

“I heard the Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
say: ‘Whoever comes to his Muslim brother and visits him (when he
is
sick), he is walking among the harvest of Paradise until he sits
down,
and when he sits down he is covered with mercy. If it is
morning,
seventy thousand angels will send blessing upon him until
evening, and
if it is evening, seventy thousand angels will send
blessing upon him
until morning.’”

‘Whoever visits a sick person, a caller calls from heaven: ‘May
you be happy, may your walking be blessed, and may you occupy a
dignified position in Paradise.’”

‘urge your dying ones to say La ilaha illallah.”

“The Messenger of
Allah
(PbUH) said: ‘Urge your dying ones to say: “La ilaha illallah.”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH) said: ‘Urge your dying ones
to
say: “La ilaha illallahul-Halimul-Karim, Subhan-Allahi
Rabbil-‘Arshil-‘Azim, Al-Hamdu Lillahi Rabbil-‘alamin (None has
the
right to be worshipped but Allah, the Forbearing, the Most Kind.
Glory
is to Allah, Lord of the magnificent Throne; praise is to
Allah, the
Lord of the worlds).’” They said: ‘O Messenger of
Allah, what about
those who are alive?’ He said: ‘Even better,
even better.’”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
said:
‘When you visit one who is sick or dying, say good things, for
the
angels say: Amin to whatever you say.’ When Abu Salamah died, I
came to the Prophet (PbUH) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Abu
Salamah
has died.’ He said: ‘Say: “Allahummaghfir li wa lahu,
wa a’qibni minhu
‘uqba hasanah (O Allah, forgive me and him, and
compensate me with
someone better than him).’” She said: ‘I
said that, and Allah
compensated me with someone better than him:
Muhammad the Messenger of
Allah (PbUH).’”

“Recite Qur’an near your dying ones,” meaning Ya-Sin.

“When Ka’b was dying, Umm Bishr bint Bara’ bin Ma’rur came to
him and
said: ‘O Abu ‘Abdur-Rahman! If you meet so-and-so, convey
Salam to him
from me.’ He said: ‘May Allah forgive you, O Umm
Bishr! We are too
busy to think of that.’ She said: ‘O Abu
‘Abdur-Rahman! Did you not
hear the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) say:
“The souls of the believers are
in green birds, eating from the
trees of Paradise”?’ He said: ‘Yes.’
She said: ‘That is
what I mean.’”

“I entered upon Jabir bin ‘Abdullah when
he
was dying, and I said: ‘Convey my Salam to the Messenger of Allah
(PbUH).’”

“Do
not grieve for your relative, for that is part of his
Hasanat
(merits).”

“The believer dies with sweat on his brow.”

“I asked the Messenger of Allah
(PbUH):
‘When does a person stop recognizing people?’ he said: ‘When he
sees.”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
entered upon Abu Salamah (after he had died), and his eyes were wide
open. He closed his eyes, then he said: ‘When the soul is taken,
the
sight follows it.’”

“When you come to your dead ones, close their eyes, for
the sight
follows the soul. And say good things, for the Angels say
Amin to
what the members of the household say.”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
kissed
‘Uthman bin Maz’un when he had died, and it is as if I can see
him with his tears flowing down his cheeks.”

It was
narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas and ‘Aishah that Abu Bakr kissed the
Prophet (PbUH) when he died.

“The Messenger of
Allah (PbUH) entered upon us when we were washing his daughter Umm
Kulthum. He said: ‘Wash her three or five times, or more than that
if
you think you need to, with water and lote leaves, and put camphor
or
a little camphor in (the water) for the last washing. When you
have
finished, call for me.’ When we finished, we called him, and
he gave
his waist-wrapper to us and said: ‘Shroud her with it.’”

“Hafsah narrated to me, from Umm
‘Atiyyah” and it is similar to the Hadith of Muhammad. And in the
narration of Hafsah it says: “Wash her an odd number of times.”
And:
“Wash her face three or five times.” And “Start on her
right, with the
places washed in ablution.” And it says that Umm
‘Atiyyah said: “And
we combed her hair into three braids.”

“The Prophet (PbUH) said to me: ‘Do
not
show your thigh, and do not look at the thigh of anyone, living or
dead.’”

‘Let the honest wash your dead.”

“Whoever
washes a deceased person, shrouds him, embalms him, carries
him and
offers the funeral prayer for him, and does not disclose what
he has
seen, he will emerge from his sins as on the day his mother
bore
him.”

“Whoever washes a dead person, let him take a bath.”

“If I had known then what I know
now,
no one would have washed the Prophet (PbUH) but his wives.”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH) came
back from Al-Baqi’ and I had a headache and was saying: ‘O my
head!’
He said: ‘Rather, I should say, O my head, O ‘Aishah!’
Thenhe said:
‘It will not matter if you were to die before me, for
I will take care
of you, wash you, shroud you, offer the funeral
prayer for you and
bury you.’”

“When they
started
to wash the Prophet (PbUH), a voice called out from inside (the
house)
saying: ‘Do not remove the shirt of the Messenger of Allah.’”

“May
my
father be sacrificed for you, you are pure; you were pure in life
and
you are pure in death.”

“When
I die, then wash me with seven buckets from me well, the well of
Ghars.”

“They used to claim that he was
shrouded in
Hibarah.” ‘Aishah said: “They brought a Hibarah Burd, but
they
did not shroud him in it.”

“The Messenger of
Allah
(PbUH) was shrouded in three thin white Suhuli cloths.”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
was
shrouded in three garments: The shirt in which he died, and a
Najrani
Hullah.

“The best of your garments are those which are white, so shroud
your dead in them, and wear them.”

“The best of shrouds is the Hullah (two-piecer).”

“If
anyone of you is charged with taking care of his brother
(after
death), let him shroud him well.”

“When Ibrahim the son of
the
Prophet (PbUH) died, the Prophet (PbUH) said to them: ‘Do not wrap
him in his shroud until I look at him.’ He came to him, bent over
and
wept.”

“If one of the members of
his
family died, Hudhaifah would say: ‘Do not inform anyone of it, for
I am afraid that that would be a public death announcement. I heard
the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) with these two ears of mine forbidding
making public death announcements.’”

‘Hasten with the funeral (procession), for if the person was
righteous then you are advancing him towards good, and if he was
otherwise then it is evil which you are taking off of your necks.”

“ ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud said:
‘Whoever follows a funeral (procession), let him carry all (four)
corners of it (in turn), for that is Sunnah. Then if he wishes let
him
voluntarily carry it, and if he wishes let him not do so.’”

“You
should
move with tranquility.”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH) saw some people
riding
on their animals in a funeral (procession). He said: ‘Do you
not
feel ashamed that the angels of Allah are walking on foot and you
are
riding?’”

“I heard the Messenger of Allah
(PbUH)
say: ‘The rider should travel behind the funeral (procession)
but the
one who is walking may walk wherever he wants.”

“I saw the Prophet
(PbUH),
Abu Bakr and ‘Umar walking ahead of the funeral (procession).”

“The Messenger of Allah
(PbUH),
Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthman used to walk ahead of the funeral
(procession).”

‘The funeral should be followed and should not follow.
There should be no one with it who walks ahead of it.”

“We went
out
with the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) to attend a funeral, and he saw
some people who had cast aside their upper sheets and were walking in
their shirts only. The Messenger of Allah (PbUH) said: ‘Are you
adopting the practice of the days of ignorance?’ or; ‘Are you
imitating the behaviour of the days of ignorance? I was about to
supplicate against you that you would return in a different form.’
So
they put their sheets back on and never did that again.”

“Do not delay the funeral once it is ready.”

“Abu Musa
Ash’ari
left instructions, when he was dying, saying: ‘Do not follow
me
with a censer.’* They said to him: ‘Did you hear something
concerning that?’ He said: ‘Yes, from the Messenger of Allah
(PbUH).’”

“Whoever
has the funeral prayer offered for him by one hundred
Muslims, he
will be forgiven.”

“A son of ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas died, and he said to me:
‘O
Kuraib! Get up and see if anyone has assembled (to pray) for my
son.’
I said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Woe to you, how many do you
see? Forty?’ I
said: ‘No, rather there are more.’ He said:
‘Take my son out, for I
bear witness that I hear the Messenger of
Allah (PbUH) say: “No (group
of) forty believers intercede for a
believer, but Allah will accept
their intercession.”

“If a funeral procession was brought and the number of
people
who followed it was considered to be small, they would be
organized
into three rows, then the funeral prayer would be offered.”
He
said: “The Messenger of Allah (PbUH) said: ‘No three rows of
Muslims
offer the funeral prayer for one who has died, but he will be
guaranteed (Paradise).’”

“A funeral (procession)
passed
by the Prophet (PbUH) and they praised (the deceased) and spoke
well
of him. He said: ‘(Paradise is) guaranteed for him.’ Then another
funeral passed by and they spoke badly of him, and he (the Prophet
(PbUH)) said: ‘(Hell is) guaranteed for him.’ It was said: ‘O
Messenger
of Allah, you said that (Paradise was) guaranteed for this
one and
that (Hell was) guaranteed for the other one.’ He said: ‘It
is the
testimony of the people, and the believers are the witnesses
of Allah
on earth.’”

“A funeral passed by the
Prophet
(PbUH) and they praised (the deceased) and spoke well of him
and
mentioned his good characteristics. He said: ‘(Paradise is)
guaranteed for him.’ Then another funeral passed by and they spoke
badly of him and mentioned his bad characteristics, and he (the
Prophet (PbUH)) said: ‘(Hell is) guaranteed for him. You are the
witnesses of Allah on earth.’”

It was
narrated from Samurah bin Jundab Al-Fazari that the Messenger
of
Allah (PbUH) offered the funeral prayer for a woman who had died in
Nifas,* and he stood level with her middle (i.e. her waist).”

“I saw Anas bin Malik offering
the
funeral prayer for a man, and he stood level with his head. Then
another funeral was brought, that of a woman, and they said: ‘O Abu
Hamzah! Offer the funeral prayer for her.’ So he stood level with
the
middle of the bed (the body was upon). ‘Ala’ bin Ziyad said
to him: ‘O
Abu Hamzah! Is this how you saw the Messenger of Allah
(PbUH) standing
in relation to the body of a man and a woman as you
have stood?’ He
said: ‘Yes.’ Then he turned to us and said:
‘Remember this.’”

It was
narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Prophet (PbUH) recited the
Opening
of the Book (Al-Fatihah) in the funeral prayer.

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH) commanded us
to recite the Opening of the Book (Al-Fatihah) in the funeral
prayer.”

“I heard the Messenger of
Allah
(PbUH) say: ‘When you offer the prayer for the deceased,
supplicate
sincerely for him.’”

“When the Messenger of Allah
(PbUH)
offered the funeral prayer he would say: ‘Allahummaghfir
lihayyina
wa mayyitina, wa shahidina wa gha’ibina, wa saghirina wa
kabirina,
wa dhakarina wa unthana. Allahumma man ahyaitahu minna
faahyihi
‘alal-Islam, wa man tawaffaytahu minna fa tawaffahu ‘alal-
iman.
Allahumma la tahrimna ajrahu wa la tudillana ba’dah. [O Allah,
forgive our living and our dead, those who are present and those who
are absent, our young and our old, our males and our females. O
Allah,
whomever of us You cause to live, let him live in Islam, and
whomever
of us You cause to die, let him die in (a state of) faith. O
Allah, do
not deprive us of his reward, and do not let us go astray
after
him].’”

“The Messenger of Allah
(PbUH) offered the funeral prayer for a man among the Muslims and I
heard him say: ‘O Allah, so-and-so the son of so-and-so is in Your
case and under Your protection. Protect him from the trial of the
grave and the torment of the Fire, for You are the One Who keeps the
promise and You are the Truth. Forgive him and have mercy on him, for
You are the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

“I saw the Messenger of
Allah
(PbUH) offering the funeral prayer for a man among the Ansar, and
I
heard him say: ‘Allahumma salli ‘alayhi waghfirlahu warhamhu, wa
‘afihi wa’fu ‘anhu, waghsilhu bi ma’in wa thaljin wa baradin,
wa
naqqihi min adh-dhunubi wal-khataya kama yunaqqath-thawbul-abyadu
minad-danas, wa abdilhu bi darihi daran khayran min darihi, wa ahlan
khayran min ahlili, wa qihi fitnatal-qabri wa ‘adhaban-nar. (O
Allah,
send blessing upon him, forgive him, have mercy on him, keep
him safe
and sound, and pardon him; wash him with water and snow and
hail, and
cleanse him of sins just as a white garment is cleansed of
dirt. Give
him in exchange for his house that is better than his
house, and a
family that is better than his family. Protect him from
the trial of
the grave and the torment of the Fire).’”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH), Abu
Bakr
and ‘Umar did not give us so much leeway in anything as they did
with regard to the prayer for the deceased,” meaning that there was
nothing affixed.

It was
narrated from ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan that the Prophet (PbUH)
offered
the funeral prayer for ‘Uthman bin Maz’un, and he said four
Takbir over him.

“I prayed with ‘Abdullah bin Abi Awfa Al-Aslami,
the
Companion of the Messenger of Allah (PbUH), offering the funeral
prayer
for a daughter of his. He said Takbir over her four times, and
he
paused for a while after the fourth. I heard the people saying
Subhan-
Allah to him throughout the rows. Then he said the Salam and
said:
‘Did you think that I was going to say a fifth Takbir?’
They said: ‘We
were afraid of that.’ He said: ‘I was not going
to do that, but the
Messenger of Allah (PbUH) used to say four Takbir,
then pause for a
while, and he would say whatever Allah willed he
should say, then he
would say the Salam.’”

It was
narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Prophet (PbUH) said Takbir
four
times.

“Zaid bin
Arqan
used to say the Takbir four times in the funeral prayer, and he
said
the Takbir five times for one funeral. I asked him (about that)
and
he said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (PbUH) used to do that.’”

It was
narrated from Kathir bin ‘Abdullah, from his father, from his
grandfather, that the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) said the Takbir five
times.

“I heard the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) say: ‘The (funeral) prayer
should be offered for a child.’”

“If a child utters a sound (after being born), the funeral
prayer should be offered for him and (his relatives) may inherit from
him.”

“The Prophet (PbUH) said:
‘Offer
the (funeral) prayer for your children, for they have gone
ahead of
you (i.e. to prepare your place in Paradise for you).”

“I said to ‘Abdullah bin Abi Awfa: ‘Did
you see Ibrahim, the son of the Messenger of Allah (PbUH)?’ He said:
‘He died when he was small, and if it had been decreed that there
should be any Prophet after Muhammad (PbUH), his son would have lived.
But there is no Prophet after him.’”

“Then Ibrahim the son of the
Messenger of Allah (PbUH) died, the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) prayed
and
said: ‘He has a wet-nurse in Paradise, and if he had lived he
would
have been a Siddiq and a Prophet. If he had lived his maternal
uncles,
the Egyptians, would have been set free and no Egyptian would
ever
have been enslaved.’”

“When Qasim the son of the Messenger of Allah
(PbUH) died, Khadijah said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, the milk of
Qasim’s
mother is overflowing. Would that Allah had let him live
until he had
finished breastfeeding.’ The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
said: ‘He will
complete his breastfeeding in Paradise.’ She said:
‘If I know that, O
Messenger of Allah, it makes it easier for me to
bear.’ The Messenger
of Allah (PbUH) said: ‘If you wish, I will
pray to Allah to let you
hear his voice.’ She said: ‘O Messenger
of Allah, rather I believe
Allah and His Messenger.’”

“They (the martyrs) were
brought
to the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) on the Day of Uhud, and he
started to
offer the funeral prayer for them, ten by ten. Hamzah lay
where he
lay, and they were taken away but he was left where he was.”

“Which of them had memorized more Qur’an?” And if one of
them was pointed out to him, he would put him in the niche-grave
first. And he said: “I am a witness over them.” He commanded that
they
should be buried with their blood, and that the funeral prayer
should
not be offered for them and they should not be washed.

It was
narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
commanded that the weapons and armor should be removed from the slain
of Uhud, and they should be buried in their clothes stained with
blood.

“I
heard Jabir bin ‘Abdullah say: ‘The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
commanded that the slain of the battle of Uhud should be returned to
the battlefield; they had been moved to Al-Madinah.’”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
said: ‘Whoever offers the funeral prayer in the mosque will have
nothing (i.e., no reward).’”

“By Allah! The Messenger of Allah
(PbUH) did not offer the funeral prayer for Suhail bin Baida’
anywhere
but in the mosque.”

“There are three times during the
day
when the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) forbade us to offer the funeral
prayer or bury our dead: When the sun has fully risen (until it is
higher up in the sky); when it is overhead at noon, until it has
passed the meridian: and when it is starting to set until it has
set.”

It was
narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
placed a
man in his grave at night, and he lit a lamp in his grave.

“Do not bury your dead at night unless you are forced to.”

“Offer the funeral prayer for your dead by night or by day.”

“When ‘Abdullah bin Ubayy died,
his son came to the Prophet (PbUH) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah,
give me your shirt so that I may shroud him in it.’ The Messenger
of
Allah (PbUH) said: ‘Notify me when he is ready (i.e., when he has
been
washed and shrouded).’ When the Prophet (PbUH) wanted to offer
the
funeral prayer for him: ‘You should not do that.’ The Prophet
(aw)
offered the funeral prayer for him, and the Prophet (PbUH) said
to him:
‘I have been given two choices: “...ask forgiveness for
them
(hypocrites) or ask not forgiveness for them...’” [9:80]
Then Allah
revealed: ‘And never pray (the funeral prayer) for any
of them
(hypocrites) who dies, nor stand at his grave.’” [9:84]

“The leader of the hypocrites in
Al-
Madinah died, and left instructions that the Prophet (PbUH) should
offer the funeral prayer for him and shroud him in his shirt. He
offered the funeral prayer for him and shrouded him in his shirt, and
stood by his grave. Then Allah revealed the words: ‘And never pray
(the funeral prayer) for any of them (hypocrites) who dies, nor stand
at his grave.” [9:84]

‘Offer prayer for everyone who dies, and strive in Jihad
under every chief.”

It was
narrated from Jabir bin Samurah that a man from among the
Companions
of the Prophet (PbUH) was wounded, and the wound caused him
a great
deal of pain. He went and took a spearhead, and slaughtered
himself
with it. The Prophet (PbUH) did not offer the funeral prayer
for him,
and that was as an admonition for others.

“Why did you not tell me?” Then he went to her grave and
offered
the funeral prayer for her.

“We went out with the Prophet (PbUH) and when we
reached Al-Baqi’, we saw a new grave. He asked about it and they
said:
‘(It is) so-and-so (a woman).’ He recognized the name and
said: ‘Why
did you not tell me about her?’ They said: ‘You were
taking a nap and
you were fasting, and we did not like to disturb
you.’ He said: ‘Do
not do that; I do not want to see it happen
again that one of you
dies, while I am still among you, and you do
not tell me, for my
prayer for him is a mercy.’ Then he went to the
grave and we lined up
in rows behind him, and he said four Takbir
(i.e. for the funeral
prayer).”

“Why did you not
tell me?” Then he said to his Companions: “Line up in rows to
pray for
her,” and he offered the funeral prayer for her.

“A man died whom the Messenger
of
Allah (PbUH) used to visit, and they buried him at night. When
morning
came, they told him. He said: ‘What kept you from telling me?’
They said: ‘It was night and it was dark, and we did not like to
cause
you any inconvenience.’ Then he went to the grave and offered
the
funeral prayer for him.”

It was
narrated from Anas that the Prophet (PbUH) offered the funeral
prayer
at a grave after the burial.

It was
narrated from Ibn Buraidah from his father that the Prophet
(PbUH)
offered the funeral prayer for a deceased person after he had
been
buried.

“There was a black woman who
used
to sweep the mosque, and she passed away at night. The following
morning the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) was told of her death. He said:
‘Why did you not call me?’ Then he went out with his Companions
and
stood at her grave, and said Takbir over her, with the people
behind
him, and he supplicated for her, then he went away.’”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
said:
‘Najashi has died.’ The Messenger of Allah (PbUH) and his
Companions went out to Al-Baqi’, and we lined up in rows behind
him,
and the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) went forward, then he said four
Takbir.”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
said: ‘Your brother Najashi has died, so offer the funeral prayer
for
him.” Then he stood and we prayed behind him. I was in the
second row
and two rows prayed for him.”

“Your brother Najashi has died, so
stand and pray
for him.” So we formed two rows behind him.

“Pray for a brother of yours who has died in a land
other
than yours.” They said: “Who is he?” He said: “Najashi.”

It was
narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (PbUH) offered the
funeral
prayer for Najashi and said four Takbir.

“Whoever
offers the funeral prayer will have one Qirat and whoever
awaits
until (the burial) is finished will have two Qirat.” They said:
‘What are these two Qirat?’ He said: ‘Like two mountains.’”

“Whoever offers the funeral prayer will have one Qirat and whoever
attends the burial will have two Qirat.” The Prophet (PbUH) was
asked
about the Qirat and he said: “(It is) like Uhud.”

‘Whoever offers the funeral prayer will have one Qirat; and
whoever attends until the burial is over, will have two Qirat. By the
One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad! The Qirat is greater than
this (mountain of) Uhud.”

“When you see a funeral (procession) stand up for it until it has
passed by or it is placed on the ground.”

“A funeral has passed by the
Prophet (PbUH) and he stood up and said: ‘Stand up out of
recognition
of the enormity of death.’”

“The Messenger of Allah
(PbUH) stood up for a funeral, and we stood up, until he sat down,
then
we sat down.”

“When the Messenger of
Allah (PbUH) followed a funeral, he would not sit down until it had
been placed in the niche-grave. A rabbi came to him and said: ‘This
is
what we do, O Muhammad!’ So the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) sat
down and
said: ‘Be different from them.’”

“I could not find him, meaning the
Prophet (PbUH), and he was in Al-Baqi’. He said: “As-salamu
‘alaykum
dara qawmin mu’minin. Antum lana faratun wa inna bikum
lahiqun.
Allahumma la tahrimna ajrahum wa la taftinna ba’dahum.
(Peace be upon
you, O abode of believing people. You have gone ahead
of us and verily
we will join you soon. O Allah, do not deprive us of
their reward and
do not put us to trial after them).”

“The
Messenger of Allah (PbUH) used to teach them, when they went out to
the
graveyard, to say: As-salamu ‘alaykum ahlad-diyar
minal-mu’minina wal-
muslimin, wa inna insha’ Allah bikum lahiqun,
nas’alul-laha lana wa
lakumul-‘afiyah (Peace be upon you, O
inhabitants of the abodes,
believers and Muslims, and we will join
you soon if Allah wills. We
ask Allah for well-being for us and for
you).’”

“We went out with the
Messenger of Allah (PbUH) for a funeral, and he sat facing the Qiblah
(prayer direction).”

“We went out with the
Messenger of Allah (PbUH) for a funeral, and we came to a grave. He
sat
down and we sat down, as if there were birds on our heads.”

“When the deceased was placed in
the grave, the Prophet (PbUH) would say: ‘Bismillah, wa ‘ala
millati
rasul-illah (In the Name of Allah and according to the
religion of the
Messenger of Allah).’” Abu Khalid said on one
occasion, when the
deceased was placed in the grave: “Bismillah wa
‘ala sunnati rasul-
illah (In the Name of Allah and according to the
Sunnah of the
Messenger of Allah).” Hisham said in his narration:
“Bismillah, wa fi
sabil-illah, wa ‘ala millati rasul-illah (In
the Name of Allah, for
the sake of Allah and according to the
religion of the Messenger of
Allah).”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
placed Sa’d gently in his grave and sprinkled water on it.”

It was
narrated from Abu Sa’eed that the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) was
brought into his grave from the direction of the Qiblah, and he was
placed in his grave gently.

“I was present with
Ibn
‘Umar at a funeral. When the body was placed in the niche-grave)
he
said, ‘Bismillah wa fi sabil-illah wa ‘ala millati rasul-illah’
(In
the Name of Allah, for the sake of Allah and according to the
religion
of the Messenger of Allah). When he started to place bricks
in the
niche-grave he said: ‘Allahumma ajirha min ash-shaitani wa
min
‘adhabil-qabr. Allahumma Jafil-arda ‘an janbaiha, wa sa’id
ruhaha, wa
laqqiha minka ridwana (O Allah, protect him from Satan and
from the
torment of the grave; O Allah, keep the earth away from his
two sides
and take his soul up and grant him pleasure from
Yourself).’ I said:
‘O Ibn ‘Umar, is this something that you
heard from the Messenger of
Allah (PbUH) or is it your own words?’
He said: ‘I could have said
something like that, but this is
something that I heard from the
Messenger of Allah (PbUH).’”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
said: ‘The niche-grave is for us and the ditch-grave is for
others.”

“The
Messenger
of Allah (PbUH) said: ‘The niche-grave is for us and the
ditch-grave
is for others.’”

“Make a niche-grave for me, and block
it
up with bricks as was done for the Messenger of Allah (PbUH).”

“When the Prophet (PbUH)
died,
there was a man in Al-Madinah who used to make a niche in the
grave
and another who used to dig graves without a niche. They said:
‘Let
us pray Istikharah to our Lord and call for them both, and
whichever
of them comes first, we will let him do it.’ So they were
both sent
for, and the one who used to make the niche-grave came
first, so they
made a niche-grave for the Prophet (PbUH).”

“When the Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
died, they differed as to whether his grave should have a niche or a
ditch in the ground, until they spoke and raised their voices
concerning that. Then ‘Umar said: ‘Do not shout in the presence
of the
Messenger of Allah (PbUH), living or dead,’ or words to that
effect. So
they sent for both the one who made a niche and the one
who dug graves
without a niche, and the one who used to make a niche
came and dug a
grave with a niche for the Messenger of Allah (PbUH),
then he (PbUH) was
buried.”

“I came one night to guard
the Prophet (PbUH), and there was a man reciting loudly. The Prophet
(PbUH) came out and I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, this man is
showing
off.’ Then he died in Al-Madinah, and they finished
preparing him,
then they carried his dead body. The Prophet (PbUH)
said: ‘Be gentle
with him, may Allah be gentle with him, for he
loved Allah and His
Messenger.’ Then his grave was dug and he (the
Prophet (PbUH)) said:
‘Make it spacious for him, and may Allah make
it spacious for him.’
Some of his Companions said: ‘O Messenger
of Allah, you are grieving
for him.’ He said: ‘Yes indeed, for he
loved Allah and His
Messenger.’”

“Dig the grave deep, make it spacious and prepare it
well.”

It was
narrated from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
marked
the grave of ‘Uthman bin Maz’un with a rock.

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
forbade
plastering over graves.”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
forbade
writing anything on graves.”

It was
narrated from Abu Sa’eed that the Prophet (PbUH) forbade
building
structures over graves.

It was
narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
offered
the funeral prayer, then he came to the grave of the deceased
and
scattered three handfuls of earth from the side of (the
deceased’s)
head.

The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
said:
“If one of you were to sit on a live coal that burns him, that
would be better for him than if he were to sit on a grave.”

‘If I were to walk on a live coal or a sword, or if I were
to
sew shows to my feet, that would be better for me than walking on
the
grave of a Muslim. And I see no difference between relieving
myself
in the midst of graves or in the middle of the marketplace.”

“While I was
walking
with the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) he said: ‘O son of
Khasasiyyah,
why are you angry with Allah when you are walking with
the Messenger
of Allah?’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I am not angry
with
Allah at all. Allah has bestowed all good on me.’ Then he passed
by
the graves of the Muslims and said: ‘They have caught up with a
great deal of good.’ Then he passed by the graves of the idolaters
and
said: ‘They died before a great deal of good came to them.’
Then he
turned and saw a man walking between the graves in his shows
and he
said: ‘O you with the shows, take them off.’”

“Visit the graves, for they will remind you of the Hereafter.”

It was
narrated from ‘Aishah that the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) gave
permission for visiting the graves.

It was
narrated from Ibn Mas’ud that the Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
said, “I
used to forbid you to visit the graves, but now visit them,
for they
will draw your attention away from this world and remind you
of the
Hereafter.”

“The Prophet (PbUH) visited
the
grave of his mother and wept, causing the people around him to
weep.
Then he said: ‘I asked my Lord for permission to seek
forgiveness
for her, but He did not give me permission. Then I asked
my Lord for
permission to visit her grave and He gave me permission.
So visit the
graves, for they will remind you of death.’”

“A Bedouin came to
the
Prophet (PbUH) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, my father used to
uphold the ties of kinship, and so and so forth, where is he?’ He
said: ‘In the Fire.’ It was as if he found that difficult to
bear.
Then he said: ‘O Messenger of Allah. Where is your father?’
The
Messenger of Allah (PbUH) said: ‘Whenever you pass by the grave
of an
idolater, give him the tidings of Hell-fire.’ The Bedouin
later became
Muslim, and he said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
gave me a difficult
task. I never passed the grave of an idolater but
I gave him the
tidings of Hell-fire.’”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH) cursed women who visit
graves.”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
cursed women who visit graves.”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
cursed women who visit graves.”

“We were prevented from
following the funeral, but that was not made binding on us.”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH) went
out
and saw some women sitting, and he said: ‘What are you sitting
here
for?’ They said: ‘We are waiting for the funeral.’ He said:
‘Are
you going to wash the deceased?’ They said: ‘No.’ He
said: ‘Are you
going to lower him into the grave?’ They said:
‘No.’ He said: ‘Then go
back with a burden of sin and not
rewarded.’”

“And
that they will not disobey you in Ma’ruf (all that is good in
Islam);” he said: “(It is about) wailing.”

“Mu’awiyah delivered a
sermon in Hims, and in his sermon he mentioned that the Messenger of
Allah (PbUH) forbade wailing.”

‘Wailing is one of the affairs of the Days of Ignorance,
and
if the woman who wails dies without having repented, Allah will
cut a
garment of pitch (tar) for her and a shirt of flaming fire.’”

“Wailing over the dead is one of the affairs of the Days of
Ignorance and if the woman who wails does not repent before she dies,
she will be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection wearing a shirt of
pitch (tar), over which she will wear a shirt of flaming fire.”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
forbade following a funeral that was accompanied by a wailing woman.”

“He
is not one of us who tears his garments, strikes his cheeks,
and
cries with the cry of the Days of Ignorance.’”

It was
narrated from Abu Umamah that the Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
cursed the
woman who scratches her face and rends her garment and
cries that she
is doomed (i.e. because of the death of this person).

“When Abu Musa fell
sick, his wife Umm ‘Abdullah started to wail loudly. He woke up and
said to her: ‘Do you not know that I am innocent of those whom the
Messenger of Allah (PbUH) declared innocence of?’ And he told her
that
the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) said: ‘I am innocent of those who
shave
their heads, raise their voices and tear their garments (at
times of
calamity).’”

It was
narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (PbUH) was
attending a
funeral. ‘Umar saw a woman and shouted at her, but the
Prophet
(PbUH) said, “Leave her alone, O ‘Umar, for the eye weeps and
the
heart is afflicted, and the bereavement is recent.”

“The son of one of the daughters of the
Messenger of
Allah (PbUH) was dying. She sent for him, asking him to
come to her,
and he sent word to her, saying: ‘To Allah belongs what
He has
taken and to Him belongs what He has given. Everything has an
appointed time with Him, so be patient and seek reward.’ But she
sent
for him again, adjuring him to come. So the Messenger of Allah
(PbUH)
got up, and I got up with him, as did Mu’adh bin Jabal, Ubayy
bin Ka’b
and ‘Ubadah bin Samit. When we entered they handed the
child to the
Messenger of Allah (PbUH), and his soul was rattling in
his chest.” I
think he was that it was like a water skin. “The
Messenger of Allah
(PbUH) wept, and ‘Ubadah bin Samit said to him:
‘What is this, O
Messenger of Allah?’ He said: ‘It is
compassion which Allah has
created in the son of Adam. Allah only
shows mercy to those of His
slaves who are compassionate.’”

“When Ibrahim, the son of
the Messenger of Allah (PbUH), died, the Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
wept.
The one who was consoling him, either Abu Bakr or ‘Umar, said
to him:
‘You are indeed the best of those who glorify Allah with
what is due
to him.’ The Messenger of Allah (PbUH) said: ‘The eye
weeps and the
heart grieves, but we do not say anything that angers
the Lord. Were
it not that death is something that inevitably comes
to all, and that
the latter will surely join the former, then we
would have been more
than we are, verily we grieve for you.’”

“Your
brother has been killed.” She said: “May Allah have mercy on him.
Inna
lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un (Truly, to Allah we belong and
truly,
to Him we shall return).” They said: “Your husband has
been killed.”
She said: “O grief!” The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
said: “The woman has
a strong love for her husband, which she does
not have for anything
else.”

“But there is
no
one to weep for Hamzah.” So the women of Ansar started to weep for
Hamzah. The messenger of Allah (PbUH) woke up and said, ‘Woe to
them,
have they not gone home yet? Tell them to go home and not to
weep for
anyone who dies after this day.’”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
forbade eulogies.”

“The
deceased is punished for the wailing over him.”

“The deceased is
punished for the weeping of the living. If they say: ‘O my
strength, O he who clothed us, O my help, O my rock,’ and so on, he
is rebuked and it is said: ‘Were you really like that? Were you
really like that?’” Asid said: "I said: 'Subhan-Allah! Allah says: "And no bearer of burdens shall another's burden (35:18)." He said: "Woe to you, I tell you that Abu Musa narrated to me from the Messenger of Allah (PbUH), and you think that Abu Musa was telling lies about the Prophet (PbUH)? Or do you think that I am telling lies about Abu Musa?"

“A Jewish woman had died, and the
Prophet (PbUH) heard the weeping for her. He said: ‘Her family is
weeping for her, and he is being punished in her grave.’”

‘Patience should come with the first shock.”

“Allah
says:
‘O son of Adam! If you are patient and seek reward at the moment
of
first shock, I will not approve of any reward for you less than
Paradise.’”

“There is no Muslim who is
stricken
with a calamity and reacts by saying as Allah has commanded:
‘Inna
lillahi, wa inna ilayhi raji’un. Allahumma indakah-tasabtu
musibati, fajurni iha, wa ‘awwidni minha (Truly, to Allah we belong
and truly, to Him we shall return. O Allah, with You I seek reward
for
my calamity, so reward me for it and compensate me),’ but Allah
will
reward him for that and compensate him with something better
than it.”
She said: “When Abu Salamah died, I remembered what he
had told me
from the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) and I said: ‘Inna
lillahi, wa inna
ilayhi raji’un. Allahumma indakah-tasabtu
musibati, fajurni ihaiha
(Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him
we shall return. O Allah,
with You I seek reward for my calamity, so
reward me for it).’ But
when I wanted to say wa ‘awwidni minha
(and compensate me with
better), I said to myself: ‘How can I be
compensated with something
better than Abu Salamah?’ Then I said
it, and Allah compensated me
with Muhammad (PbUH) and rewarded me for
my calamity.”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
opened
a door that was between him and the people or drew back a
curtain and
he saw the people praying behind Abu Bakr. He praised
Allah for what
he saw of their good situation and hoped that Allah
succeed him by
what he saw in them.* He said: ‘O people, whoever among
the people
or among the believers is stricken with a calamity, then
let him
console himself with the loss of me, for no one among my
nation will
be stricken with any calamity worse than my loss.’”

The
Prophet
(PbUH) said: “Whoever was stricken with a calamity and when he
remembers it he says ‘Inna lillahi, wa inna ilayhi raji’un
(Truly, to
Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return),’
even though it
happened a long time ago, Allah will record for him a
reward like that
of the day it befell him.”

“I heard
‘Abdullah bin Abu Bakr bin Muhammad bin ‘Amr bin Hazm narrating
from
his father, from his grandfather, that the Prophet (PbUH) said:
‘There
is no believer who consoles for his brother for a calamity,
but Allah
will clothe him with garments of honor on the Day of
Resurrection.’”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
said:
‘Whoever consoles a person stricken by calamity will have a
reward
equal to his.’”

“No
man who
loses three of his children will ever enter the Fire, except
in
fulfillment of the oath (of Allah).”*

“I heard the Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
say:
‘There is no Muslim, three of whose children die before reaching
the age of puberty, but they will meet him at the eight gates of
Paradise and whichever one he wants he will enter through it.’”

“There
are no two Muslims (mother and father), three of whose children
die
before reaching the age of puberty, but Allah will admit them to
Paradise by virtue of His mercy towards them.”

“Whoever sends fourth three of his children who had not reached
the
age of puberty, they will be a strong fortification for him
against
the Fire.” Abu Dharr said: “I sent forth two.” He said: “And
two” Ubayy bin Ka’b, the chief of the reciters, said: “I sent
forth
one.” He said: “Even one.”

‘A
miscarried fetus sent before me is dearer to me than a
horseman whom
I leave behind.”

“The Messenger of Allah (PbUH) said:
‘The
miscarried fetus will plead with his Lord if his parents are
admitted
to Hell. It will be said: “O fetus who pleads with your Lord!
Admit
your parents to Paradise.” So he will drag them out with his
umbilical cord until he admits them to Paradise.’”

“By
the One in Whose Hand is my soul! The miscarried fetus will drag
his
mother by his umbilical cord to Paradise, if she (was patient and)
sought reward (for her loss).”

“When news of the
death of Ja’far was brought, the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) said:
‘Prepare food for the family of Ja’far, for there has come to
them
that which is keeping them busy or something which is keeping
them
busy.”

“When Ja’far was killed, the Messenger of
Allah (PbUH) went to his family and said: ‘The family of Ja’far
are
busy with the matter of their deceased, so prepare food for
them.’”

“We used to
think that gathering with the family of the deceased and preparing
food was a form of wailing.”

Dying in a strange land is martyrdom.”

“A man died in
Al-
Madinah, and he was one of those who were born in Al-Madinah. The
Prophet (PbUH) offered the funeral prayer for him and said: “Would
that
he had died somewhere other than his birthplace.” A man among
the
people said: “Why, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “If a
man dies
somewhere other than his birthplace, a space will be
measured for him
in Paradise (as big as the distance) from the place
where he was born
to the place where he died.”

“Whoever dies from a sickness dies as a martyr. He is protected
from the torment of the grave and he is granted provision from
Paradise morning and evening.”

“Breaking the bones of the deceased is like breaking his bones when
he
is alive.”

“Breaking
the bones of the deceased is, in sin, like breaking his
bones when he
is alive.”

“I asked
‘Aishah:
‘O mother! Tell me about the sickness of the Messenger of
Allah
(PbUH).’ She said: ‘He felt pain and started to spit (over his
body), and we began to compare his spittle to the spittle of a person
eating raisins. Like a person eating raisins and spitting out the
seeds. He used to go around among his wives, but when he became ill,
he asked them permission to stay in the house of ‘Aishah and that
they
should come to him in turns.’ She said: ‘The Messenger of
Allah (PbUH)
entered upon me, (supported) between two men, with his
feet making
lines along the ground. One of them was ‘Abbas.’ I
told Ibn ‘Abbas
this Hadith and he said: ‘Do you know who the
other man was whom
‘Aishah did not name? He was ‘Ali bin Abu
Talib.’”

“The Prophet (PbUH) used to seek
refuge using the following words: ‘Adhhibil-ba’s, Rabbin-nas,
washfi
Antash-shafi, la shifa’a illa shifa’uka, shifa’an la
yughadiru saqaman
(Take away the affliction, O Lord of mankind, and
grant healing, for
You are the Healer and there is no healing that
leaves no sickness).’
When the Prophet (PbUH) fell sick with the
sickness that would be his
last, I took his hand and wiped it over
his body and recited these
words. He withdrew his hand from mine and
said: ‘O Allah, forgive me
and let me meet the exalted companions
(i.e., those who occupy high
positions in Paradise).’ Those were
the last words of his that I
heard.”

“I heard the Messenger of Allah
(PbUH)
say: ‘There is no Prophet who fell sick but he was given the
choice
between this world and the Hereafter.’ She said: ‘When he
became
sick with the illness that would be his last, (his voice)
became
hoarse and I heard him say, “In the company of those on whom
Allah
has bestowed His grace, of the Prophets, the true believers, the
martyrs, and the righteous.’” [4:69] Then I knew that he had been
given the choice.”

“The wives of the Prophet (PbUH)
gathered together and not one of them lagged behind. Fatimah came,
and
her gait was like that of the Messenger of Allah (PbUH). He said,
‘Welcome to my daughter.’ Then he made her sit to his left, and
he
whispered something to her, and she smiled. I said to her: ‘What
made
you weep?’ She said: ‘I will not disclose the secret of the
Messenger
of Allah (PbUH).’ I said: ‘I never saw joy so close to
grief as I saw
today.’ When she wept I said: ‘Did the Messenger
of Allah (PbUH) tell
you some special words that were not for us, then
you wept?’ And I
asked her about what he had said. She said: ‘I
will not disclose the
secret of the Messenger of Allah (PbUH).’
After he died I asked her
what he had said, and she said: ‘He told
me that Jibra’il used to
review the Qur’an with him once each
year, but he had reviewed it with
him twice that year, (and he said:)
“I do not think but that my time
is near. You will be the first of
my family to join me, and what a
good predecessor I am for you.” So
I wept. Then he whispered to me and
said: “Will you not be pleased
to be the leader of the women of this
Ummah?” So I smiled.’”

“I never saw anyone suffer more pain than the Messenger
of
Allah (PbUH).”

“I saw the Messenger of Allah
(PbUH)
when he was dying, and there was a bowl of water next to him. He
put
his hand in the vessel and wiped his face with the water, and
said:
‘O Allah, help me to bear the agonies of death.’”

“The last glance
that
I had of the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) was when he drew back the
curtain on Monday, and I saw his face as if it was a page of the
Mushaf (Qur’an), and the people were praying behind Abu Bakr. He
(Abu
Bakr) wanted to move, but he (the Prophet (PbUH)) gestured to him
to
stand firm. Then he let the curtain fall, and he died at the end
of
that day.”

“The prayer,
and
those whom your hands possess.”* And he kept on saying it until
his
tongue could no longer utter any words.

“They said in ‘Aishah’s presence
that
‘Ali was appointed (by the Prophet (PbUH) before he died), and she
said: ‘When was he appointed? He (the Prophet (PbUH)) was resting
against my bosom, or in my lap, and he called for a basin, then he
became limp in my lap and died, and I did not realize it. So when did
he (PbUH) appoint him?’”

“When the Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
passed away, Abu Bakr was with his wife, the daughter of Kharijah, in
villages surrounding Al-Madinah. They started to say: ‘The Prophet
(PbUH) has not died, rather he has been overcome with what used to
overcome him at the time of Revelation.’ Then Abu Bakr came and
uncovered his (the Prophet’s (PbUH)) face, kissed him between the
eyes
and said: ‘You are too noble before Allah for Him to cause you
to die
twice. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) has indeed
died.’ ‘Umar
was in a corner of the mosque saying: ‘By Allah,
the Messenger of
Allah (PbUH) has not died and he will never die until
the hands and
feet of most of the hypocrites are cut off.’ Then Abu
Bakr stood up,
ascended the pulpit and said: ‘Whoever used to
worship Allah, Allah is
alive and will never die. Whoever used to
worship Muhammad, Muhammad
is dead. “Muhammad is no more than a
Messenger, and indeed (many)
Messengers have passed away before him.
If he dies or is killed, will
you then turn back on your heels (as
disbelievers)? And he who turns
back on his heels, not the least harm
will he do to Allah; and Allah
will give reward to those who are
grateful.’” [3:144] ‘Umar said: ‘It
was as if I had never
read (that Verse) before that day.’”

“When they wanted to dig a
grave
for the Messenger of Allah (PbUH), they sent for Abu ‘Ubaidah bin
Jarrah, who used to dig graves in the manner of the people of Makkah,
and they sent for Abu Talhah, who used to dig graves for the people
of
Al-Madinah, and he used to make a niche in the grave. They sent
two
messengers to both of them, and they said: ‘O Allah, choose
what is
best for Your Messenger.’ They found Abu Talhah and brought
him, but
they did not find Abu ‘Ubaidah. So he dug a grave with a
niche for the
Messenger of Allah (PbUH). When they had finished
preparing him, on
Tuesday, he was placed on his bed in his house.
Then the people
entered upon the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) in groups
and offered the
funeral prayer for him, and when they finished the
women entered, and
when they finished the children entered, and no
one led the people in
offering the funeral prayer for the Messenger
of Allah (PbUH). The
Muslims differed concerning the place where he
should be buried. Some
said that he should be buried in his mosque.
Others said that he
should be buried with his Companions. Then Abu
Bakr said: ‘I heard the
Messenger of Allah (PbUH) say: “No Prophet
ever passed away but he was
buried where he died.” So they lifted
up the bed of the Messenger of
Allah (PbUH) on which he had died, and
dug the grave for him, then he
(PbUH) was buried in the middle of
Tuesday night. ‘Ali bin Abu Talib,
Fadl bin ‘Abbas and his
brother Qutham, and Shuqran the freed slave of
the Messenger of Allah
(PbUH) went down in his grave. Aws bin Khawli,
who was Abu Laila, said
to ‘Ali bin Abi Talib: ‘I adjure you by Allah!
Give us our share
of the Messenger of Allah (PbUH).’ So ‘Ali said to
him: ‘Come
down.’ Shuqran, his freed slave, had taken a Qatifah which
the
Messenger of Allah (PbUH) used to wear. He buried it in his grave
and
said, ‘By Allah, no one will ever wear it after you.’ So it was
buried with the Messenger of Allah (PbUH).”

“When the Messenger of
Allah
(PbUH) suffered the agonies of death that he suffered, Fatimah
said:
‘O my father, what a severe agony!’ The Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
said: ‘Your father will suffer no more agony after this day. There
has
come to your father that which no one can avoid, the death that
everyone will encounter until the Day of Resurrection.’”

“Fatimah said to me: ‘O
Anas,
how did you manage to scatter dust on the Messenger of Allah
(PbUH)?’”
And Thabit narrated to us from Anas that Fatimah said: “When
the
Messenger of Allah (PbUH) passed away: ‘O my father! To Jibra’il
we
announce his death; O my father, how much closer he is now to his
Lord; O my father, the Paradise of Firdaws is his abode; O my father,
he has answered the call of his Lord.”

“On the day when the Messenger of
Allah
(PbUH) entered Al-Madinah, everything was lit up, and on the day
when
he died, everything went dark, and no sooner had we dusted off
our
hands (after burying him) but we felt that our hearts had
changed.”*

“We used to be guarded in our
speech even with our wives at the time of the Messenger of Allah
(PbUH), fearing that Qur’an may be revealed amongst us, but when the
Messenger of Allah (PbUH) died, we began to speak freely.”

“We were with the Messenger
of
Allah (PbUH) and we all had a single focus, but when he passed away
we
started to look here and there (i.e., have different interests).”

“At the time of the Messenger of Allah (PbUH), if
a
person stood to pray, his gaze would not go beyond his feet. When
the
Messenger of Allah (PbUH) died, if a person stood to pray, his gaze
would not go beydon the place where he put his forehead when
prostrating. Then Abu Bakr died and it was ‘Umar (the caliph). So,
when any person stood to pray his gaze would not go beyond the
Qiblah.
Then came the time of ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan, and there was
Fitnah
(tribulation, turmoil), and the people started to look right
and
left.”

“After the Messenger of Allah (PbUH)
had
died, Abu Bakr said to ‘Umar: ‘Let us go and visit Umm Ayman as
the Messenger of Allah (PbUH) used to visit her.’ He said: ‘When
we
reached her she wept.’ They said: ‘Why are you weeping? What
is with
Allah is better for His Messenger.’ She said: ‘I know
that what is
with Allah is better for His Messenger, but I am weeping
because the
Revelation from heaven has ceased.’ She moved them to
tears and they
started to weep with her.”

‘The best of your days is Friday. On it Adam was created; on it
shall be the Nafakhah,* on it all creation will swoon. So send a
great
deal of blessing upon me on this day, for your blessing will be
presented to me.’ A man said: “O Messenger of Allah! How will our
blessing be presented to you when you have disintegrated?” He said:
“Allah has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of the
Prophets.”

“Send a great deal of blessing upon me on Fridays, for it is
witnessed by the angels. No one sends blessing upon me but his
blessing will be presented to me, until he finishes them.” A man
said:
“Even after death?” He said: “Even after death, for Allah
has
forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of the Prophets, so the
Prophet of Allah is alive and receives provision.’”